Compare towns
Putnam vs Oxford vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Putnam | Oxford | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
13,385Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
42±2.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oxford and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$103,862±$10kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$374,900±$18kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,177±$142Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Oxford and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,622 48% above U.S. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Oxford and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #245 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Oxford | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Oxford High | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
10.3Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.